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Trout and Lara Beef On Conference Call

[img]http://B78B.http.cdn.softlayer.net/00B78B/thesweetscience/images/stories/boxing3/Goldenboy_9ebde.jpg[/img]Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara gave perhaps a hint of the tenor of their Dec. 7 154 pound showdown at Barclays Center on a Tuesday conference call to hype the Golden Boy card, portions of which will run on Showtime. They traded barbs, and I have to say it was an even fight.
Promoter Richard Schaefer noted the TV portion will be a tripleheader, and he said he anticipates the largest ever boxing crowd at Barclays since the building started running fights in October of last year.
Devon Alexander, the IBF welter champ was on the call with foe Shawn Porter after Trout and Lara finished up. Trout, the former WBA junior middleweight champ, was on the call with his foe, Erislandy Lara, the interim WBA 154 pound champ. Lara, a Cuban defector, beat Alfredo Angulo (TKO10) in his last outing. The 18-1-2 hitter, who lives in Texas, said he’s been working hard in the gym. Trout, with a 26-1 record, said that he thinks Lara is sharp technically, is very experienced, is a good ring general, and he maybe lacks heart and the will to win. Lara said that he thinks Trout is "OK" but is on his way out. Let’s see in the ring, he said, who has more heart.
Schaefer said Carlos Molina and Canelo Alvarez and Floyd Mayweather and Alfredo Angulo are in this region, but mentioned specifically that a fight with Canelo Alvarez could be in play for the winner.
Trout said he’s fully focused on Lara and isn’t thinking about a Canelo rematch. Lara too said his eyes are only on his Dec. 7 foe. He just wants to bust up Trout’s mouth, he said.
This is a lefty vs. lefty clash. Trout said he’s not Paul Williams, or any other lefty. He said he will "make him look like the amateur he is." Lara said the difference between Williams and Trout is that Williams has cajones, and Trout just runs. Trout said that Lara runs, he doesn’t run. He said Lara just warred versus Angulo because Angulo made him do so. He said Lara is a runner, that he ran from Cuba, and runs in the ring. Lara said "that’s what he’s always done in all his fights."
The Cuban was dropped twice in the Angulo bout. He said Angulo is a "big puncher," and those were "perfect punches," and in the end, he won. If the fight with Trout goes to the cards, Lara said that in the past, he has lost on the cards when fighting on other promoters’ cards. That won’t be the case this time, he maintained.
Would he gun for a KO, to remove the judges from the equation? No, he said, he will be calm, and do his job, and win.
Trout said he thought Canelo made them both look bad with his outing versus Floyd Mayweather and wished he got the call, not the Mexican. A win over Lara is a nice feather in his cap. He wants to beat Lara, and then go after the pound for pound "big hitters," he said.
Trout referenced his legal beef with promoter Greg Cohen. He said that has kept him ont he shelf for an extra bit. He said he is very happy he is not with Greg Cohen Promotions anymore, and made clear the squabble was heated. Trout said he hasn’t signed with Golden Boy, but has a good relationship with them.
Readers, who do you like in this one?
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Re: Trout and Lara Beef On Conference Call

Trout seems like an alright guy... He got his peace of the limelight after toiling in obscurity as a relative unknown for years then loses to Canelo on unfriendly turf.

I'm still a little angry that he lost that fight .... I expected more.

I thought Lara was going to be the next Wunderkind from Cuba matching the skill set of his native brethren Rigo but he struggled against Vanes and seems a little too self contained at times..
But his skill cannot be denied.
I think the chemistry is right between these two and both have much to prove.
Prove what you ask?
Prove they can be entertaining-
Prove they can give that extra ten percent-
Prove they can take control when the opportunity presents itsself -
And most importantly prove who's the better fighter.

Normally I wouldn't be too interested ... But this time I think both these guys will defy their stereotypes of being unexciting fighters.
This time ..their pride will be on the line.

Re: Trout and Lara Beef On Conference Call

Suge, I had high hopes for him also. After his fights vs. Williams and Hearns, I saw huge upside. Yet, after analyzing several of his fights -- amateur and pro alike -- I wasn't as impressed.

Compared to the average fighter, Lara is sweeter than sugar, a sweet scientist of the highest order. Compared to Rigo, Lara is a poor man's version of his Cuban boxing teammate.

Remarkably, that still is enough to be a world class fighter but he's simply not on that otherworldly level. Which is cool! Few fighters in history are just that! But Lara is a seasoned, well-schooled fighter with a mean streak and some decent power.

While they have extremely similar styles, if you analyze Lara's dimensions compared to the technical marvel of Rigo, it's clear that Lara's just that -- a poor man's version of a fighter of technical perfection.

To me, Lara's last two fights revealed a lot about him and his character, especially against Vanes. When he's tested, he will resort to dirty tactics. His footwork, while top notch, is not as dazzling as Rigo. (But then again, IMHO, Rigo's footwork is right up there with a 135 Floyd and 1964 Cassius Clay.)

With all that said, I think Lara has more experience fighting a guy like Trout than Trout has fighting a guy like Lara. I see a close, technical fight with some dirty tactics mixed in there.

Re: Trout and Lara Beef On Conference Call

Tell the truth and shame the devil.....lol
That's about as close an appraisal as we can get without having a crystal ball Shadow.

But what you call dirty fighting I call unfettered drive and determination...
Lara is willing to go places other men fear to tread.

I'm trying to picture the outcome and all I get is a blur .... I might have to resort to YouTube before I'm comfortable enough to make a pick...its that close.

Yeah, he's determined because he's made the type of sacrifice that few others haven't. Just like how he got to the US. A remarkable story.

But he really is dirty, Suge. Like, the kind of dirty like someone who will cheat when there's no other way out. While he's not as bad as this guy -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_08HNSU_h8 -- he's a dirty guy.

If you notice, he's not a nice guy outside the ring. He has this dishonorable mean streak to him. He flipped off Vanes after the fight, he calls people names, he discredits people and generally exhibits bad character.

Don't get me wrong, I like the guy's skill and I actually dig him. I even try to emulate his technique in many ways! But listening to interviews, studying his character and stuff...man.

At least Hopkins and Ward are consistent with their methods and generally use those "veteran tactics" within the context of boxing, I feel Lara steps outside that -- and he only does so when he's in danger of losing.

He reminds me of the kind of guy who always cheats in cards or tries to make a pass at your woman behind your back.

Re: Trout and Lara Beef On Conference Call

Originally Posted by The Shadow

Yeah, he's determined because he's made the type of sacrifice that few others haven't. Just like how he got to the US. A remarkable story.

But he really is dirty, Suge. Like, the kind of dirty like someone who will cheat when there's no other way out. While he's not as bad as this guy -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_08HNSU_h8 -- he's a dirty guy.

If you notice, he's not a nice guy outside the ring. He has this dishonorable mean streak to him. He flipped off Vanes after the fight, he calls people names, he discredits people and generally exhibits bad character.

Don't get me wrong, I like the guy's skill and I actually dig him. I even try to emulate his technique in many ways! But listening to interviews, studying his character and stuff...man.

At least Hopkins and Ward are consistent with their methods and generally use those "veteran tactics" within the context of boxing, I feel Lara steps outside that -- and he only does so when he's in danger of losing.

He reminds me of the kind of guy who always cheats in cards or tries to make a pass at your woman behind your back.

I don't doubt what you said Shadow...you're pretty perceptive.. I have noticed some salty behavior being exhibited from Lara from time to time. its interesting to me how lowkey and demur a lot of the Cuban athletes behave in front of the camera. Never much to say .....barely look the announcer in the eye... and extremely private in their public life..... I guess that goes with the territory of being on the run from political oppression(and having to adapt to life on foreign soil) Once inside the ring however those guys become master of their domain.
Lara also should have never allowed Molina to eake out draw. I blame that on arrogance more than Molina's craftiness.
There are few thing lower than a buddy who tries to hit on your girl...hilarious.

Re: Trout and Lara Beef On Conference Call

Originally Posted by brownsugar

I don't doubt what you said Shadow...you're pretty perceptive.. I have noticed some salty behavior being exhibited from Lara from time to time. its interesting to me how lowkey and demur a lot of the Cuban athletes behave in front of the camera. Never much to say .....barely look the announcer in the eye... and extremely private in their public life..... I guess that goes with the territory of being on the run from political oppression(and having to adapt to life on foreign soil) Once inside the ring however those guys become master of their domain.
Lara also should have never allowed Molina to eake out draw. I blame that on arrogance more than Molina's craftiness.
There are few thing lower than a buddy who tries to hit on your girl...hilarious.

LOL you're right! Few things lower than that. With all that being said, I'm still very interested to see who will win. From a competitive standpoint, I view boxing as a sport. This is a damn good matchup between two future top fighters.

While people think it may be boring, shoot, when two Italian soccer teams meet in the Champions League, everybody knows it will be a defensively oriented, low-scoring, boring affair. Everyone still watches because it's a meaningful matchup and the viewer doesn't know who will win.

Yes, boxing is entertainment, yes, boxing is showbiz. But from a sporting standpoint, I don't think the entertainment value is relevant. It's all about who's going to overcome the strengths of the other and line himself up for a title shot in the future.

I find it very intriguing. And who knows? Maybe Lara will make Trout do the Stanky Leg again.